Here’s What Really Matters: YOU!

One of life’s eternal questions is “Why am I here?” This week, our Spiritual theme turns to the topic of Finding Your Purpose, and that journey is, indeed, a spiritual one. But it doesn’t have to be hard or deep or complicated. It can be as simple as finding what feeds your soul.
 
Two books have transformed my journey toward discovering my purpose. The first one is The Power of Purpose, by Richard Leider. Here’s a quote from his blog: “A sense of life purpose promotes physical, mental, and spiritual health. People who seek meaning beyond themselves are healthier, happier, and live longer. It’s vital to our well-being that we maintain strong feelings of purpose and community. … Purpose is fundamental. Mattering, ultimately, matters.” One thing Leider suggests is that instead of searching for HAVING a purpose in our life, why not just focus on LIVING PURPOSEFULLY? As caregivers, that’s what we do!
 
The second book that I found enlightening was Simon Sinek’s Find Your Why. Here’s a link to his famous Ted Talk from 2009. He’s found that “why” is not only the driving force of successful leadership and innovative organizations … it’s also at the very center of our brains and ourselves!
 
For some people, their “why” might be curing cancer, saving lives, or being heroes in so many different ways. But let me remind you that YOU are a hero in your own right. Every day you provide care to someone you love, you’re a hero.
 
Most caregivers don’t choose caring for a loved one as a career, but they end up as caregivers due to life circumstances. On a good day, you may feel like you’re supporting positive change and enhancing someone’s life. On a frustrating day, you may feel anger, resentment, or sadness that your loved one’s life path isn’t what you planned. I’ve felt all these things at different parts of my journey of providing care to someone I love.
 
So, if you feel as if you’re still searching for a purpose – don’t give up on YOU. You definitely need to be in touch with YOU to find your “why” – and that takes a lot of self-love, self-compassion, and courage, but definitely NO self-judgment.
 
Just remember what Rachael says in her blog at The Be Well Place, “Life doesn’t have to be EPIC to be AWESOME.”